Lilo & Stitch: Only Wanted to Help
by poptheboon
Summary: on the surface, they say remaining how they are is best, but they only said this because they knew no one would like the idea. at first, that was the only problem, however, after receiving terrible news from Jumba, Stitch tries to keep Lilo in the dark for her sake. Pairing Lilo/Stitch ft. Mertle,Jumba,Pleakley,Nani,Elena,experiments, and more. (warning: lemons)


"what else?" Lilo asked curiously, as she steered the puffy pink mixture of batter in a bowl on the counter up.

The question was directed towards the bewildered Pixley, who was gliding his finger back and forth across the pages, reading from a culinary of arts book.

His eye was focused heavily on every word that was on the page, causing him to read things slowly and aloof. Though he had read this certain recipe a few times before, he felt as if he messed up late time, despite his perfect record of making it. He was simply like that.

" uhh... eggs are next, without the Yolk though." He muttered, forming a half-smile, then turned to watch Lilo execute the order.

" Stitch'll get the eggs." A voice from behind the two claimed.

Stitch, who had heard the order as well, grabbed the already pre-prepared eggs that sat on the dining table, then handed them to Lilo.

"ah, thanks Stitch." Lilo casually turned around to him, then gestured a sly grin for his attention.

Now being fourteen years old, Lilo towered over Stitch by a foot, causing Lilo to slightly bend down to whisper a secret message to Stitch.

"Can you grab the chocolate out of the refrigerator? We're going to tweak the recipe." Lilo asked, giving an impish grin.

Stitch returned the sly look. "Stitch also would like to change something as well. Maybe make bigger cake with peanut butter?"

Lilo's eyes curved back from Stitch to the distant yellow alien, lost in the book. She gave a slight nod.

" ... Well, we would need to do all of this while Pixley is distracted. Do you think we can make it before he looks up?"

Again, they glance into Pixley's direction, to find that he had moved to now studying a cup, dropping small dust of sugar into it.

"They never have any explanation on how many grains of sugar a cup had! Is it 12,894 grains or do I suppose to believe it's only around 10,000?! I'll just do 12,894, it seems like the best bet."

Lilo glanced back at Stitch with lowered eyes. "Umm. I don't think he will notice anything anytime soon."

" ...ih" Stitch agreed, looking a bit worried.

He brought out six cake pans, instead of the required three, then closed the door, laying them side by side to each other.

stitch glanced at Lilo, stared in amazement to what they were about to make, a curling smile was given to stitch, who returned it back.

"Wow..." she started. "this is going to be as big as a wedding cake."

Mentioning this thought, Lilo eyes trailed up to realize another thought that appeared.

"I never ate a wedding cake before, nobody I know had ever gotten married since I was born."

Stitch considered that fact as well since he actually was here a shorter time then Lilo.

"Do Lilo want one?" Stitch asked sincerely. "Stitch can make one for you."

Her eyes widen for a bit, as she stared at Stitch for a moment.

"Stitch..." she asked with a draggy tone.

"Yeah," he answered slightly picking up on that.

"You should never make me a wedding cake. I'd rather never have one." she chuckled under her breath then looked away.

Stitch twisted his face in confusion eyeing indirectly, Lilo tilted her head that pointed to the ceiling.

"Stitch would try to make it right." He assured forming a half-smile.

"I know you would. I'm just joking. Even If it makes me sick, I'll still eat it."

Stitch rolled his eyes then laughed as well. " Stitch'll make it one day, but not today. Too much cake. Stitch go crazy." He admitted.

Lilo made her way to the table to grab something, half aloof.

"We need a little grease on the bottom of the pans, I think." She states as she reached for the bottle.

Lilo turned around then tossed the bottle to him, who caught it easily.

"we may need to hurry to make the cake. Mertle is gonna meet us at the movies in forty minutes." Lilo reminded stitch.

Stitch widen his eyes as though being reminded of that hurt him a bit. Lilo noticed this.

"you know why I invited her with us, right?" Lilo asked in a pitiful look. "Trust me, she needs someone right now."

Recalling Lilo's reason, stitch softened his heart and sighed a breath.

" ih"

Of course, four years ago, when they were younger, Mertle and Lilo had a more complicated relationship that put Mertle in a position to look down on Lilo. The weird, unknown, enigma that she was.

For her, disliking lilo and persuading others to do the same wasn't just a casual thing she did. She went out of her way to do so. Putting her in her place in the world. Punishing her for acting as though the world should tolerate her strange hobbies and traits.

Those words eventually dug into her nerves, soon Lilo questioned her very own existence. often asking why was she who she was?

Why can't she make friends?

Why do people not like the weird things she did?

Lilo was convinced that who she was, wasn't worth getting to know so she repelled her own nature hoping to change one day if she worked at it; however, nothing seemed to gain anyone's approval.

She felt empty at times, hearing the names her friends would call her. Empty sitting alone in the house. Empty acting like someone she didn't know just to have a conversation with them.

Nani noticed Lilo's moping nature, then decided that she would be happy if she would at least have some level of company, thus stitch came and wracked her current life.

What she had and built up to with her friends, and her small family with Nami was being Destroyed bit by bit by the horrifying demon that decoyed himself as a lovable pet.

Nani, who regretted allowing Lilo to talk her into keeping stitch, only grew more regretful as time passed.

Still, Lilo urged Stitch to stay with them, seeing the hope that he might calm to settle down to be with their family.

Etched into Stitch very being, he was born to be a true monster, the only concern with survival and to carry a thirst for leveling buildings, corrupting peace.

When he found that he was in a place he could do little damage, his purpose was lost.

What would he do with himself now? Kick over a bike? Pop a kid's balloon?

While he had nothing to work towards, Lilo realized that he was lonely as well. She tried to help him find a new purpose, but his nature to destroy things was too much to handle.

Everything they tried blew up in their faces, but a bigger picture did, however, become known. Searching for a purpose with people that cared for him changed him a bit. All that purpose to hurt others slowly withered in his heart. Yeah, destruction was a part of him, but it didn't have to be his goal in life.

Building and helping others around him was something he realized could have done. However, what he did already was enough to turn things into a spiraling mess. The lesson learned in the aftermath of his action couldn't help anyone now.

Well, not until Ganto showed up, captured the two then quickly loaded them onto his ship to depart into space.

After narrowly escaping the ship before blast off, Jumba finds him then tied him up.

He couldn't justify his life and why he should go without receiving consequences for his action, but for Lilo and Nani to be punished as well, at least let them have a happy life. Though he was lost, that didn't make all the outcomes for him to see that fact, ok.

To his creator, he asked him for help and after a very small debate among them, Jumba agreed to help them.

Lilo had a realization. her life with or without Stitch was weird and had its low points.

She ran from her nature, but who would go to the shelter and pick the most unusual pet there. What she gained by having him greatly outweighed what she originally thought she would lose.

Now that she had gotten older, she realized she only lost who she wasn't.

Lilo had a certain level of respect for Mertle their younger days, but it faded shortly after finding all of the experiments and giving them a place, they belong.

Two months after, Mertle's mom withdraws her for hula practice. A week later, she had moved away. For the first week, her friends speculated the reason for her disappearance, but nothing was certain. The story changed constantly, but no one knew that Mertle's life had changed from silk to rags.

Lilo closed the oven that held the six pans of cake mix. Stitch jumped down from the counter, beside Lilo.

"I should be able to go get ready before the cake is ready." Lilo started, looking back to Pixley. "but Pixley, if I'm not, can you... uh?"

"1, 456 1,457 1,458..."

"umm, Pixley. We're already baking the cake."

"wait wait, don't speak. I'm counting and would hate to have to start over 1,462..."

He hadn't moved a much since Stitch and her continued without him.

"on second thought, I'll just wait."

Stitch looked towards Lilo with a sympathetic look.

"I can watch it while you get ready."

Lilo gave Stitch a thoughtful look.

"Are you sure? Do you have anything to do before we leave?"

" Naga" he responded with a crooked smile.

"Thanks!" She exclaimed, reaching a hand out to pat him on the head. "I'll try to be quick."

Lilo stared at Stitch for a moment, allowing her hand to remain on stitch's head. "your head is soft, that shampoo is... working for you."

Stitch's body began to stiffen while Lilo played with his hair. Twirling the strands around her finger wasn't enough to make it rope around, stitch's hair was way too short for that.

Lilo looked down to stitch's face, noticing that she was making him feel a bit uneasy. She snapped out of her trance.

"oops, sorry stitch!" She yelled. Stepping away from him.

Quickly to play it off while seeming unbothered, Stitch simply shrugged.

" Lilo did nothing wrong, stitch doesn't mind you doing that."

Stitch stomach tightens after stating that, but to stay convincing, he kept his sincere appearance in front of her. Instinctively, his body did shift a few inches away from her. Lilo saw this but also tried come off as unphased.

"oh really... hehehe." Lilo giggled nervously. Lilo lost her nerves, then Stepped farther back out of the kitchen.

Noticing what she was doing, Stitch gave a self-disappointing look.

Lilo took a deep breath then stopped running from the awkward conversation. Clearly, doing this again was only delaying or possibly hurting their relationship. They've been voiding each other for two weeks; these last few days were the only times the two really spoke to each other while holding eye-contact.

Any interaction within those weeks mimicked this result or even worse.

Finding something in the room to break their awkward moment to set their conversation back on track, Lilo gave one last glance to Pixley.

"1,487 1,488 1,489..."

Then back at stitch, who looked like those he wanted to ask her something.

His lips parted a few times, and his eyes were twisting in pain. Instead of Lilo waiting for him to get around to it, she again decided to run.

She gave a fake smile, which showed to barely form. "anyway... thanks again." She said, then waved at him as though they weren't going to meet back up in twenty or so minutes, then left walking quickly down the hallway.

All of the built-up tension in Stitch's body loosened as he sighed a breath.

"Stitch is sorry Lilo..."

"what is being wrong with you two?" A heavy voice from the living room asked, growing louder from behind. "whatever it is, was disturbing as well as funny... mostly disturbing."

"it's naga!" Stitch Said with a panicked look.

Realizing that his reaction would only make Jamba wonder more, Stitch dug deep inside himself to act normal.

"we good Jamba. Lilo just remembered that she left tub water on."

Jamba cocked two of his eyes unimpressed by stitch's on-the-spot lie.

"I've heard an apology from you as she ran away."

"I left the water on."

"but you said little girl did so."

"stitch tongue slipped."

"Hahahahaha!" Jumba laughed. "very reason why stitch talks so strange than others is to never have mishaps with tongue. You were programmed to learn and use any foreign language to true extent like evil genius."

"Stitch thinks evil genius is only genius."

Jamba started to frown then he laughed realizing what stitch was doing.

"626 can't be fooling me throwing self-issues back." Jamba smug tone hardens from what it was, becoming more solemn and cutting. "626 is considering the little girl?"

Stitch didn't say a word but stood there defeated.

"though this is cute, 626 knows it could be disastrous, yes?"

"yes..." he said bowing his head.

" little creation was previously designed for destruction. the very fact that you think this way puts here in danger. You... you were never meant for love or the natural concept of mating. it could turn out to be a bit rough to handle for poor little girl."

Stitch rolled his eyes at Jumba, feeling a sense of chills surge over him.

" ..."

Jamba paused, then formed a smile on his face.

" buuuuut, pills could tame Stitch's aggressive sexual drive..."

Stitch's ears pointed up to this news, not being happy to the news but only that it would be possible to do it, but his mind considered what Jamba didn't mention what it would help with.

"I see it crossed 626's mind, but pills will not affect the size of 626. That would take surgery. For 626, surgery may endanger life."

"Stitch doesn't want to date Lilo."

This news actually didn't fully surprise Jamba, but on Stitch's face seemed to say that there were more reasons why he prefers not to.

"is it 626 sex drive? Evil genius is evil genius. Capable of handling problems with no mistakes. Still, there is more concern about my little creation?"

Stitch huffed at Jumba. Though he is glad that Jumba was so willing to help, but some of his concerns were too private to mention.

" Jumba!"

Jumba rolled all of his eyes.

"Understanding 626 ... discomfort in talking about little girl, but only concerned."

"thanks," Stitch said softly while relaxing his nerves.

Jumba started making his way to his room.

"oh!" He yelled, turning back to stitch. "if you need to ever say more to evil genius, don't wait."

Jumba look turned a bit contemptuous as he paused to think.

"Other family members may find situation... a bit disturbing, and will forbid it without question."

An annoyed look grew from Stitch.

"Stitch doesn't want to-"

Stitch's voice was starting to elevate, but Jumba gestured that stitch should be quieter in their conversation.

"calm down, 626. People may hear."

Stitch looked back into the kitchen at Pixley, who was standing only a few feet from him.

"1,597 1,598 1,599~" Stitch squeezed hie lips together showing a face of disbelief to Pixley's concentration.

Evil genius was referring to little girl hearing. Pixley can't hear and cook, so it's fine." Jumba waved his hand dismissively to the kitchen. "this is important to know about one's self."

Stitch's ears twitched to Jumba's warning.

"since that day 626 seen little girl indecent, it had unlocked your biological sexual enhancements. The purpose of these parts is not needed detail, but 626 could image it anyway."

The muscle under Stitch's eyelids tightens covering his right eye after hearing this. He slightly shook his head in horror.

Jumba continued after confirming that stitch understood the dire possible future.

"The absolute maximum lust capacity that 626 would handle would be passed in three months, causing 626 to enter into a frenzy of sexual desires.

If 626 doesn't undo his feelings for the little girl, things would turn grim for many if... left alive."

Stitch's blood turned cold, as he heard news worse than he speculated about himself.

Despite Jumba showing regret in making stitch such a monster, there was nothing he would do to help stitch that wouldn't seriously endanger his life.

Suddenly Stitch's ears perked up remembering something Jumba mention previously.

"what about Jumba's pills?"

Being aware that stitch would bring that up, he didn't bother to look stitch in the eyes as he shook his head no.

"The effects of pills won't last for long periods of time. Eventually, pills will become pointless after 626's immune system begins to look at sexual reduction pills as sickness."

Stitch ears lowered the disappointing news, but Jumba stroked his chin in thought, then grinned.

"Evil genius thought of a solution with a... twelve... nine percent possibility rate. Maybe... maybe it might work, or not. If not, we're trying OTHER plan."

Stitch eyed him with his mouth hanging open to his easy-going nature.

"also. Come in talk to me about any other concerns you may have. Other family members may... find situation concerning."

Nani immediately came to mind. She could be strict in nature, but to be fair, she did let Lilo, an eight-year-old at the time, go hunt dangerous monsters with her supernatural dog. Maybe he wasn't giving her much credit; nonetheless, if she did know, Stitch would surely be a very involved.

He stood in the kitchen door waiting for Lilo to come back; he contemplated if he was ready for her to come back.

Deeply in his heart, he wished that that day never happened, making things just awkward.

(thirty-five minutes later...)

"wow, I really need to work on that. I can't stop beating myself up for it." Lilo muttered her words to herself as she stepped out of the tub, bare.

Her black hair covered her face, making her look like a character from a certain horror movie, but more vibrant.

She whipped hair back to better manage and see, allowing it to wrap around her neck and slapped her breast.

"Maybe I should try breaded today."

She arrived at the mirror then stared at herself with a contemptuous look. Frustration became visible in the mirror as if it, itself failed to show her in a better mood, soaked with anxiety and anticipation.

"no, it can't beat the look I've worn since I was five. Why change that." She mocked herself, too self-aware of her own shortcomings.

She glanced off feeling a bit embarrassed to wonder a thought. "stitch likes this look, right?"

Her mind thought about Stitch. "our friendship is suffering... and I still haven't found a way to make it normal. I'm sure he wants that too. We were going so good all morning, why did I touch his head!" She was working her into a fit lecturing herself in the mirror, her face fell red and hot.

She looked towards the bathroom door that leads out into the hallway, but then fell into a trance.

(about three weeks ago...)

In the bedroom, you could hear slight moaning sounds leaking through the door, however, if you weren't pressing your ears to the door you wouldn't be able to tell easily.

Music of sweet voiceless beats played louder than Lilo's voice so it was ok for her to let loose with a few escaping sounds. Stitch was hanging out elsewhere and no one else was in the house, so this was the perfect time to not care.

Stitch, who went home to get his ball because Kixx popped the other one spiking it with two hands, stepped through the door. His ears quickly picked up strange sounds coming from the back, there was no doubt that it sounded like Lilo. His heart jumped to the fact that she sounded like she was in trouble. He ran to the back quickly, having a hard time making out what was being said but if it was serious, he didn't hesitate to go straight to her.

Rushing through the door, he saw Lilo, but not the way he thought she would be.

Nude, she laid on the bed with music canceling out Stitch entering into the room, relaxing in a way that would be burned into Stitch's eyes, and mind forever. In fact, every part of her curly, global warming, surface shifting body was something that would remain hard to be unseen.

certain areas beckoned his attention, he became more lost to where he was, feeling his heart dance in his chest and blood flow throughout his body. Blood flowing into every limb.

She looked so beautiful to him that he struggled to breathe or look away at all.

Stitch melted in the doorway, flustered suddenly with urges.

An odd thought to close the door at the moment buzzed in his head, but it was rejected quickly then pushed away. His instincts as an experiment were starting to flare up, impulses of a destructive nature built into him, but he of course, cared about her and could see her through the impulses. These feelings to protect her were much stronger.

Lilo opened her eyes then grabbed for her headphones.

"I ended up thinking about stitch at the end, again."

she got up from her bed, spotting him at the door. Her eyes widen to this realization that he was here, while Stitch straightens his posture, after standing so tensely.

She was already pinking around the cheeks, and her heart was already pounding, but seeing Stitch there only helped her maintain that level of excitement.

"Stitch!" She barked. "I'm- what are you...wow..." Lilo noticed that there was something extremely different about him. Something that couldn't simply be easily ignored to instead ask Stitch why he was here.

Stitch snapped back into focus, after gaining a hold of himself, to notice what she was staring at. A valent attempt to hide was made, but It didn't work, so he just stood there in full display.

Instead of showing any level of disgust to stitch's position, Lilo goggled at him.

"Stitch can you please wait outside," Lilo asked, obviously holding back difficult emotions.

Stitch frowned in embarrassment, then left.

After Stitch left Lilo alone in the room, she remained motionless for thirty seconds to think.

Her thoughts went into worry for Stitch that might be blaming himself too hard, but then another thought came to mind which made her feel curious and excited.

To answer a question, she had for a long time, stitch could see her that way.

A grin couldn't form about the sheer embarrassment she felt, so her lips remained thin and spread across her face, her eyes processed the floor.

A moment passed and the more stunning part of her thoughts worked its way through her system, making room for more points to bring out.

She licked her lips to a thought, but at the same time, she worried not to do anything rash. She shook those thoughts away, feeling a bit of shame to focusing on that at the moment.

She needed to comfort him, instead of drooling over him.

She put on the most nonchalant look she could muster then walked to the door. She grabbed the handle, but then just stood there.

"wait, I said his name earlier. What if he brings that up?"

Lilo searched for the strength to go through the door, she found none. Eventually, she gave up then let go of the handle and sat on the bed defeated.

Stitch, who was waiting in the living room, waited for an hour for Lilo to come out of the room. She didn't come out. He sunk his head, feeling an ill reason as to why she chose to stay in the room. Though this in many ways cracked him, a part of him was somewhat glad she did though.

(the present)

Lilo still glared at the bathroom door, giving off a somewhat defeated look again. She grumbles to herself.

"Why did I wear headphones at a time like that, and the door being unlocked... music does help me think better, but..." she paused in thought, realizing an error.

"that wouldn't have happened if I just locked the door." She breathed out a quivering breath. "we avoided each other for two weeks and just started talking again three days ago. We're still pretending nothing happened. Of course, things were gonna blow up in our faces..."

Lilo looked away from the mirror.

"If I start the conversation now with him, maybe I could push the conversation away from what he heard me say that day..."

She places a finger on both sides of her redden cheeks then slowly rubbed them, releasing pent up heat and stress. Lilo found it relaxing, then grinned to the sensation.

"it's not smart to just jump to that. What if people found out? I love Stitch, but that's so weird. Even for me to admit to." she grabbed a towel off a rack next to the tub then started to dab her body with it.

"Maybe he only got... "excited" to see me. Maybe he'd still would just rather be friends and put this behind us. ... wouldn't that be something I want to happen...?"

Lilo glared at the wall to such a silly conclusion. "Hell no! It would break me to know that I'm not his type. I made him scared to talk to me, then I ran away when things got hard. What's wrong with me?! At this rate, things won't even be able to go back to normal at least!"

Lilo heated voice fell solemn, reflecting on what she already lost with him.

Since what happened, stitch no longer lives in their room, but the garage. Nani didn't find anything wrong with that because Lilo was getting bigger and may need her own space at moments, but this was the last thing she wanted.

"I want him to move back into our room, but I haven't even told him that I wasn't even mad at him yet. I will tell him at some point."

Lilo fell silent, then started to put on her clothes.

(meanwhile...)

" 12,894! FINALLY!" Pixley cheered to his success then turned to where the bowl would have been to drop the sugar. He was shocked to see that the bowl was put away into the sink.

"wait, where's the-"

He jerked his head to the sound of the oven door closing. Stitch casually looked at Pixley with a nonchalant expression, who still showed confusion.

What happened to the mix?" He demanded to know.

"Lilo and I finished it." Stitch claimed as he placed the six pans on the counter.

"you- you did? Without sugar?" He wondered, shaken.

" naga, Lilo and I used sugar... and other things." Stitch gave a slight grin to Pixley, who took Stitch's wildly smile only as a disaster for his perfect cake.

"just try a piece." Stitch offered.

Pixley's only eye widen. " ooooh no no no, how can it be good if you just threw it to-" but before Pixley could finish, stitch flung a piece straight into his mouth.

Pixley paused with the crumb in his mouth. Stitch stared as Pixley's expression changed into a more considering nature.

" mmmm... mmmmmm" He smiled. "wow, is that... peanut butter... and chocolate?! My favorite combination of earth foods! It's great with vanilla!"

" ih!" Stitch confirmed.

"you two may have what it takes to do the culinary of arts after all." He looked around to congratulate lilo as well. "did lilo leave?"

"yea..." he answered with a hesitating tone, but maintained. "she getting ready."

"Are you two going out?"

" ... yes", Stitch hesitated longer this time to answer, but still confirmed his question.

Suddenly, stitch's ears perked up as he heard familiar footsteps echoing up the hallway. A few seconds later, Lilo turned the corner and quickly fixed her eyes on stitch. Her lips parted as she again lost her nerves.

"Lilo, there you are. I love the cake you two made. It's delicious!"

Lilo snapped out of her trance on stitch, realizing Pixley was still in the kitchen. His presence saved her from looking suspicious for too long.

"oh ah yea, thanks, Pixley!" She took a breather then found some sanity to function with. She then realized what Pixley actually said. "wait, you're not mad about us changing the recipe?"

Pixley just looked up to ponder a thought.

"It shocked me, but honestly how can someone be a cook if they need a book all the time." He claimed. "I going to now make all of my food now without using a stupid book."

Lilo and stitch eyes widen to this claim. Before Pixley had the cookbooks, he always burned the kitchen no matter how simple the recipe was. Eggs, fire. Tea, fire. Cereal, fire.

"you were still new to cooking at the time though, maybe cooking from the books for over a year had given him a good grasp of a style." Lilo hoped for Pixley, shrugging her shoulders.

"well, still be careful Pixley," Lilo added with fear in her voice.

"Jumba can... repair house like last time," Stitch added.

Yeah, you're right stitch." lilo confirmed, beaming a pleased, flirtatious look toward stitch.

There was hesitation in his eyes, showing a coy response. Lilo retracted the look to a concerned gaze.

"hey Stitch. Are you ready to go?" Lilo asked cheeringly, throwing her fist in the air.

Instead of responding with a yes, Jumba's warning to them caused him to rethink the day of fun at the movies with her.

He folded his arms, tilting his head away from her.

"i... might just stay home. You guys have fun."

Lilo's fist fell to her side forced to drop her transparent attempt to lighten their mood. her lips shivered and frowned at Stitch. The image of the possible future, weighted her heart. sorrow and frustration bellowed, which started to show through to stitch.

that a mistake as simple to her compared to losing such a good connection with him. How could that mistake make their future so bleak?

She wanted to tear up, but she instead decided to be direct with him since their awkward encounter, hoping for some closure in him.

"Stitch. That day. It will never be the thing that will destroy our friendship. I won't let it be. I love you too much for that." her head tilted to her floor, intolerant to looking into his eye after practically confessing to him.

"uh... did you two have a fight about something?" Pixley, who was still in the kitchen to hear everything she said, asked, rubbing his head. "Whatever it was, I'm sure you two can get over it. We're Ohana. We're supposed to love each other no matter what!"

Luckily it seemed Pixley missed the point of Lilo's words and thought she meant to love in a plutonic way.

Lilo still remained silent, her eyes floated to Stitch.

By the way, his face stayed frozen in tension, he got the real meaning of her words.

After stating this, she started to feel the loneliness she had before stitch. Maybe in his eyes, he thought these feelings were a bit much even for him. They were Ohana, knowing each other for a long time as that.

Most likely, no one will understand how she felt about Stitch if they knew. It would hurt the most for Stitch to not understand her as well; she needed him to.

She heard nothing from Stitch for fifteen seconds of him just standing glaring at her with eyes full of disbelief and confusion. He breathed in, then out then turned his attention to the door. before she knew it, stitch walked past her.

"we'll be late, Lilo." He muttered, ignoring her lost expression.

Lilo eyes locked to the ground.

"Yeah, ok..." she laughed through her crippling pain as a front for Pixley.

"uh, ok bye..." Pixley said looking to Lilo, who turned to follow Stitch without looking up again. He pressed his six fingers together.

"Lilo seemed really off about something. What the heck did they fight about?"

"oh, my shoes" Lilo recalled, pacing behind Stitch. "can you wait up for me, so I can get them?" She asked in a lifeless tone, that was forced to be cheery. Stitch knew if he looked back at her, she would look empty. A precious jewel crushed by his feet to dust.

Something inside of him withered and died.

"ok..." stitch responded in a nonchalant tone.

Lilo then walked away to her room.

Stitch stood alone in the hallway to ponder any other opinions he may have to stop her pain. Thoughts came to mind, but he deemed them all as worthless. Nothing was good enough, considering what he was planning now, this opinion made him worry if it might destroy them as well. There was no escape for what he was.

Lilo closes the door behind her. She lays on the door, and gaze up at nothing.

"he doesn't like you, so what." She states to herself.

"don't you dare stay in this room again. This won't work anymore." She stated, balling and shaking her fist.

"we're staying friends, why isn't that good enough for me? These awkward moments can be over if you just..."

Lilo burst into tears, streams flooded her cheeks.

"Please, stop! Don't break down, he needs me as a friend, not a-"

Lilo breaks. Her words became unrecognizable.

"I-i can take it!" She screams.

She hits the floor, bruising her fist.

The pain of her hand brings back to her sanity. All the tension in her body slipped away as she grows silent to collect herself.

A moment later, she jumped back off the floor and grabbed her shoes.

"for you stitch." She forms this time a sincere smile, straightening her face that looked partly a mess.

Her eyes slanted to the side for a moment to think about another. "and for Mertle sake as well. We all need a movie night."

She swings open the door, then bolts back downstairs to Stitch.

"I'm ready Stitch!"

Stitch was waiting downstairs, at the doorway, for Lilo.

Stitch threw his head up to face Lilo.

" ih!" He agreed.

Lilo walks up to stitch then gently places a hand on stitch's head, something she hasn't done since she was ten and this morning.

"Stitch, I love you. You know what I mean when I say this, right?"

Stitch's smile wavered.

"yeah." He confirmed, fighting the urge to lie to save her feelings.

"I thought about it and I'm ok with just being your friend, so don't worry about me. Things can go back to how it used to be." an exception came to mind just as she finished her words, "Well, Mertle will make three, so not exactly the same... but better."

"Stitch would like that!" Stitch exclaimed.

Lilo gave a cheesy grin.

"I know you still don't like her, but I promise. Those feelings will go away when we're hanging out."

Stitch rolled his eyes.

Lilo smiled, then looked outside. The sun had lowered to the west halfway, showing that there was about another couple of hours until sunset.

Lilo's eyes dazzled in the light with fire, it warmed stitch's heart to see her smile. He treasured her hand that rubbed his head.

She danced down the stairs highly spirited and relieved to the lost baggage.

"We got to break Mertle out of the foster home stitch before the stuff is off their break, hurry!"

the plan. As a cover, they mentioned out loud that they were going to "meet" Mertle at the movies, but things couldn't work out that way, so this was plan B for them. For Mertle to get there, they will have to break some laws.

You see, Mertle would have to turn sixteen years old to be able to go out by herself, but she's still fourteen.

A wildly smile appeared on both Lilo and Stitch's faces.

CHAPTER 2

Lilo and stitch's operation would only be to cause a distraction, but simply going inside and causing chaos would be bad for many different reasons. Cops would get involved.

Causing abnormal distractions would cause suspicion, and making future attempts for Mertle to escape harder to do unnoticed.

What they would have to use would be normal everyday problems in a timely manner.

Lilo visits her from time to time to hang out, but they are normally closely watched and would have to carefully pass notes to each other without drawing attention. Whatever day they plan to break out will be scheduled more than a week prior.

There have been five attempts to break Mertle out of the orphanage, one-time she was caught and punished by having her things taken away, as well as her free time.

"it not that bad. I don't watch tv anyway." She claimed to have her tv took away for a week.

At the end of the week. "I missed Rachael and Sarah getting together?! Crap!"

Mertle will be timing her to escape with Lilo and Stitch at six O'clock after dinner. Most of the staff will be going on the break themselves, so there will be a fifteen-minute window to move.

She will have to be back by ten. That would be the time they would check to see if all of the children were in their rooms in bed. Normally they would have snacks within that time as well, but Mertle had asked them to take her off the snack listing.

In the far distance, away from possible prying eyes surveying from a window from the orphanage, Lilo and Stitch sat on a hill flat to the ground both holding a pair of binoculars.

Stitch places the binoculars down, then picks up a sniper rifle.

"Stitch, you'll have to take out those two orphans playing in the front deck, there's not enough time to think of another plan."

Stitch hands trembles as he lines up the long-range sniper gun, but at the last minute he lowers it down.

"Stitch doesn't want to do it!"

The two children are happily rolling a ball to and from each other. Unaware that their life was able to change.

"Stitch, this is for Mardile. She has been looking forward to this day."

Stitch gave a wary look back to Lilo.

"Stitch don't like her that much."

"Stitch if I try to do it, I might miss. You're the only one who can make that shot."

Allowing Lilo's words to sink in, stitch took a deep breath, then brought the gun to his eye again.

"Stitch doing this for you, not Mertle!"

He fired a shot towards them. The bullet phased through the window and hit the ball while it rolled across the middle of the floor.

The ball rumbled and rocked on the floor then a face sprouted from it. It was horrific, making hissing noises and looking the victims into their eyes, intimidatingly.

The children nearby saw the terrifying face then started to scream. Which instantly got the surrounding staff to answer the call.

Lilo and Stitch regretfully looked at each other.

"It wasn't worth it." They agreed together grimly lowering their heads.

Lilo hardens her heart to what they did, then picked up an earplug, placing it into her ear.

" Mertle, you're good to go!"

"um, did you make the kids in the front start screaming?"

"um... yea..."

"This is not even the right time for me to ask how... but-"

"meet us at the side entrance." Lilo interrupted her.

"Roger!" She yelled somewhat annoyed from being cut off.

Lilo and stitch ran to their car, jumped in then floored it down the hill to the west wing of the building.

They slid into place ready for Mertle to simply jump in.

She slipped out off the side door swiftly, glancing back into the building to see if anyone saw her leave. She then turned her attention to the two, sighing in relief.

"thank, you guys, for getting me out but don't do a plan like that again. They're going to cry to me to comfort them!"

"don't they like grace better than you?"

Mertle wanted to rebuttal against Lilo's quick cruel remark but deeply knew Lilo's cold words were right.

"you don't have to say it like that!"

"for a second there, you made it sound like a chore to help them. If someone needs help, it's not bad to do so."

"I'm not going to take that from the people who made them cry in the first place!" Mertle laughed angrily, grinning from ear to ear. "anyway, thanks though."

"you're welcome."

Mertle's eyes rolled over to stitch, who hasn't acknowledged her existence. she gave a bitter frown.

"you still hate me stitch?" Mertle asked holding her breath.

Stitch sighed "Stitch don't hate you, never did. Stitch not use to you differently."

Mardile breathed easy again. "fair enough. Ever since I've came back, we only saw each other three times, thus making this the fourth; we never talked to each other though."

She grabs her seatbelt, then fastens it to herself. Stitch punched it again speeding off, driving close by the woods.

"I'm not sure if she always tells you when she coming to visit me, but Lilo hangs out with me at least every week. At first, she resented me as much as you do, and only really just felt sorry for me."

She folded her arms then glanced at Lilo seeing that she was already looking back at her.

"you consider me a friend now, right?"

"yea, Mertle. Our past is just a past. Honestly, if you never bullied me, I couldn't have felt so push to change."

Mertle gave a skeptical look. "I couldn't have helped you be this person... I was a bully."

"you had a role in my life."

She couldn't take Lilo smiling at her, so she turned her attention back to someone giving her, she deserved resentment.

She stared at the back of Stitch's head for a while until something came to mind.

"The building doesn't let dogs in. I'm not saying you are a dog. You kinda look like a dog or some kind of..." Mertle felt stitch's cold shoulder tension. She decided to let that topic go, to start a new one.

" soooo... what did you guys use to make the kids yell like that?"

Since Lilo felt Stitch wasn't going to respond to any of her questions, she offered to explain.

"It was something that Stitch made as a plank for Jumba. It's a sniper gun that launches tattoo faces and hypnotic drugs in each bullet." Lilo face turned to regret. "maybe that was too much to use on them. We didn't expect them to get too worked up."

It wasn't hard to put together what hypnotic drugs and a scary face could do, but to be sure, she asked.

"the hypnotic stuff makes the face seem real?"

"yep!"

"you're not talking about something as dangerous as heroin, are you?!"

" uhh... Stitch didn't use harmful drugs. It's harmless."

" …"

"Tell them I'm sorry please!"

"sure. I'll tell them that the monster didn't mean to scare them."

The guilt in stitch's heart caused him to glance back at Mertle.

"Tell them... Stitch is sorry too."

Mertle grinned at stitch excitedly from the sudden attention.

"I'll name the monster Stitch then."

"ha ha" Stitch replied with a bit of hurt feelings.

Mertle frowned realizing a line overstepped by her.

"sorry Stitch... I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"it ok..." Stitch stated. "I don't mind the name."

Mertle patted her hands together in excitement.

"I can make a story out of it. They may never have nightmares again!"

"I get why they like you now. You really changed. Hehehe." Lilo laughed.

"I didn't change too much... I insulted Stitch twice without even trying..."

Stitch's ears twitched to her concerned tone.

" Mertle" Lilo paused. "you're not like her anymore."

Mertle squeezed her lips tightly together pondering what Lilo said for a moment, then her face grew plain. She cupped her chin as she lends out the car to watch the tree blur past them.

"Lilo, you give me too much credit. I'm more like her than either of us wants to admit."

( four years ago)

Mertle was a popular girl, despite her nerdy looks. She could make anyone do what she wanted of them. Her tongue was blissed with authority and demand. Being spoiled by her father, how could she have not been so.

Her dad was well paid and made sure to give his family the wants they wanted and worked hard to do so. Sometimes overworking in the office, but the family wasn't perfect.

His wife enjoyed life even with him being absent for a long time, constantly working overtime. She preferred it that way, her stuff and the Mertle's things need to pay with something.

She cheated multiple times on him. Not because she was feeling alone from him not being there, she pushed him away, arguing that he needed to work more to provide a thing for them. sometimes being as blunt as possible saying that it was his fault.

It was his fault things are like this. Being constantly alone being drowned by paperwork from dawn to dust. Having a family who treats him like crap, that was his fault.

As Mertle grew, she was deeply influenced by her mom, and her ways. Whatever she did, however, she did it. Sometimes Mertle would copy her taste in clothes, walking around, trying to be just like here.

Most of all, Mertle learned the way she controlled people. Her mom never held back from anyone, and she never did too.

Most times Mertle would hear the way her mom would talk to her dad, like trash. A worthless husband, failing to please her desires as a man should. No promotions for more money. Taking off too many hours. Underperforming with quotas. Mertle adopted this image of her dad into her head and added insult to her mom's.

The husband, after many years of this, had finally reached his limits, seeing that his life had been building up to the day he died. It beat him. Broke him. Formed him, until he couldn't take it anymore. He left for a while, but the wife only noticed his disappearance when her debit card was declined.

She called him, but he wouldn't pick up. She threatened him, but he didn't care.

The mother a month later tried to sue for child care. A test was done for legal reasons on Mertle and him, but it came back with shocking results. they found out that Mertle wasn't even his, the real father was unknown.

Having to now take care of a child and remain less than worthy because people didn't see her as worth it anymore, caused her to become a heavy drinker.

The mom who was not too used to taking care of kids on her own started to beat Mertle whenever she felt like it.

With her life turned upside-down, Mertle started to draw into herself, feeling stripped of hope in life. The person she looked up to hated her and displayed that hate often, using unfiltered threats, discipline, and neglect sometimes leaving her in places to abandon her. Somehow, she would find her way back to her before anything bad happened to a wondering little girl, only having one close call.

One day the mother got so fed up with Mertle, that she decided to kill her, but there was only one bullet and the mom was sick of living this life.

She took the bullet put it in a revolver then spun it. Whoever was still alive would have to suffer for that in her words.

The mom won, and she was freed of her pains. Mertle lost and was left alone in an apartment staring at the bloody remains of her mother. After wandering around outside too shocked to function, somebody noticed blood on her shirt and called the police.

She ended up in foster care at the age of twelve nearing thirteen.

When Lilo heard about what happened to her for so long, even though she built such resentment to Mertle, seeing her broken nature helped Lilo comfort her.

Between more than a full year of being in foster care, she met many people who helped her. Therapy was a big thing. Thanks to all the help she gotten, her heart healed enough to live on.

"we're here," Stitch announced, making the turn into the movie theater's driveway, they started looking for a spot to park the car.

"I see one other there." Mertle pointed out looking at stitch. Stitch nodded.

"ok," stitch exclaimed.

Once everyone stepped out of the car, then began to stretch their limbs for stiffening.

The back is a bit small, don't you think?" Mertle pointed out.

Both Lilo and Stitch gave a knowing look to her.

"well, this was a car that stitch made when we were little. I'm not sure if you were around when he made it though."

She gave the car a puzzled look, glancing at the bumper sticker, light-orange color, and tinted front windows.

"Naw, I haven't seen this car before. If I did, I would have been kinda jealous."

The two of them widen their eyes to Mertle in disbelief to her claim. The slight grin Mertle was holding while admiring the craft of the car melted as she noticed them.

"We never thought you'd think anything we had was cool." Lilo plainly stated, giving her a surprised expression.

"ih" stitch added.

Mertle returned a cartoonish embarrassed glare to them.

"well... I always thought your stuff was cool. It kinda made me mad. You guys were driving in flying cars and stuff before you even got your license. I was jealous." Mertle turned her coy gesture away from them, feeling it grow to an intolerable level, but she continued. "my friends back then would start talking about you and stuff and henry could only afford a low-powered car that I could drive only one of my friends at a time on."

"Stitch remembers the car." he stated with excitement. "the car went... kinda fast."

Mertle rolled her eyes, then laughed at Stitch's petty attempt in making her feel good about her toy car.

"it's ok. I didn't deserve it anyway I rode it around a few times, just to compare to you guy, then destroyed the thing when it didn't." a regretful look grew on her face. "henry stopped talking for a week after I did that. He must have spent a lot on it too."

The two of them studied her as she reflected on the past. Mertle's eyes fell down on them when she stopped, noticing their empathic eyes, even Stitch.

"I'll race you guys!" Mertle claimed as she dashed ahead, with a sly grin.

Lilo looked at Stitch then gave each other a knowing look as they smiled.

Mertle started to hear footsteps galloping behind her. "I'm way ahead of you guys!" Mertle claimed as she kept up the pace with long strives.

Suddenly a blue and red streak flow passed her. It was Stitch with Lilo grinding on his back nearly about to fall off.

"This is our combined move, Mertle! Rodo race!"

"not fair guys!" She barked getting further behind.

They stopped to a sudden halt. Lilo quickly got off of stitch's back. They were both blushing. Lilo eyed stitch.

We should never ever do that again. That was an unsuspecting ride for me."

"Stitch gave a nervous grin. "yea."

Lilo's eyes trailed down stitch. She clenched her teeth together and made a slight squeaking noise as she realized something was now peeking at her from Stitch.

Stitch eventually realized something was wrong with him as well.

"Stitch, why did it come out now?!..." she whispered.

Stitch looked down then back at Lilo who he felt needed an explanation. Lilo looked back towards Mertle, who was catching up with them.

"no time Stitch! Here let me pick you up to hide you!"

Stitch was quickly against that idea, but with Mertle being behind them, he simply went with the plan.

Lilo picked him up and held him tightly to her chest.

"sorry, Lilo," Stitch responded.

Lilo swallowed a lot of spit forming in her mouth, as Stitch's problem started to become bigger.

"think of something else."

"Stitch can't."

"think of hairy old men Stitch!"

"Stitch mind is stuck on you." He mumbled.

Mertle was watching the whole show from behind and was becoming confused about what was happening.

"uh... are you two ok?"

"Lilo looked back to Mertle."

"I was a little too heavy for stitch. I think he hurt his foot!" Lilo lied.

Mertle showed a bit of worry for Stitch.

"wouldn't it be good to take him home so your uncle? he can look at him?"

"Uncle?"

"Jumba, I meant!" She clarified. "oh yeah, he's not reeeaaally your uncle, is he?"

This is one of the few nights Mertle will be able to come out, it's not something Lilo or Stitch would want to ruin for her. Lilo's flushed face turned towards Stitch, solemnly, staring him in his eyes.

Stitch looked away from Lilo face.

"Lilo, don't do that." Stitch begged.

"if you thinking about me, think back at the times when I was younger and carried you, or at last tried.

The suggestion hit him heavy and unexpecting.

The image of who they use to be. The thought played in his head, it was pleasant and warm on a day like this. Lilo was ten and still a bit too small to simply carry Stitch, but she wanted t though she struggled. She put Stitch down every two minutes to rest. That was just the way it was.

" Meega can walk." Stitch assured. "sorry Stitch that I can't make this a better ride home." Lilo smiles in exhaustion.

"Lilo is great taxi, but Stitch is going seeing angel soon." Stitch replies with a smile back.

Lilo squeezed her eyes together, her smile faded. Stitch grin shrunk as well, then he turned his body away.

"you two been hanging out a lot often these days." Lilo stated, to some notable level, annoyed. "you hung out with her for a week straight. This is the only day we spent together in a long time. I miss hanging out."

The two fell silent.

"Stitch could... be late..." Stitch suggested, with sadden brows. Listening to Stitch decide to make a sacrifice for her, Lilo retreated her thoughts.

"no ... I'm sorry Stitch. It has only been a week; I can wait for free time."

"Lilo sure?"

"yes. Plus, Nani is supposed to be helping me with making me a new dress I'll ask her if we can get started today."

Stitch stared at Lilo, studying her feelings. She maintained a nonchalant expression.

"well, I guess I should go get started before Nani is busy with something else."

Lilo turned away then walked off.

(present)

Stitch slowly start to feel normal again.

"there we go." Lilo smiled. She turned back to face Mertle, who was speed walking to check on him. "he's fine now." Lilo assured, placing him back down onto the ground.

Mertle slowed down. "good, it would be weird for stitch to hurt himself so easily." She then gave a cocked her brow to Lilo who had an aura of anxiety to her.

Her focus then fell to Stitch who was the same as her.

"are... you two ok? Is a ghost behind me or something?" Mertle, from her own words, caused herself to glance back.

"do we?! No, there's nothing wrong with us!" she assured throwing her hands up in defense.

Mertle squeegeed her eyes to them, putting a hand on her chin. "lilo would you ever lie to a friend's face?"

Lilo head sunk. "sorry... but this secret is on a pretty high level of security. Just stitch and I know."

Silence filled the air only for a moment before Mertle formed a concerned expression.

"from behind, it looked like you were trying to squeeze him to death. Stitch's face seemed like something was hurting him. Lilo doesn't know her own strength." silence fell between them, grown from the obvious problem among them. "Stitch isn't sick like in that story you told me before, right? You know, when he was bugging out because he wasn't properly incubated when made."

"no no, nothing like that," Lilo assured her this, while stitch wary eyes fell to the floor lost in thought.

Both Mertle and lilo took notice of Stitch's reaction.

"Are you sure Stitch?" Mertle asked.

"yea, Stitch feels amazing!"

Noticing that Stitch was being a bit too over clarifying, Lilo felt a chill come across her body, but because of what happened she dismissed it because of that. "ok, let go watch that movie now!" Lilo exclaimed, turning around to the building.

Mertle twisted her face at them.

"ok," she added.

Mertle and stitch followed her to the ticket booth.

"is... there something wrong with Lilo, she's acting weird..."

Plain and simple of a reason, he didn't want to give any hints to Mertle about their feelings towards each other. He wasn't sure if Lilo would ever talk to her, but he would definitely not be the person to do that.

" Mertle sounds like old self." Stitch turned and laughed only to throw her off of Lilo's trail.

"ha ha, funny Dog!" She added with a stern belittling tone, like her old self. Mardile felt a sudden grip of guilt to her words, then fell coy. "sorry..."

Stitch's ears flicked into the air, feeling deeply insulted, however, he chuckles a bit to the slander, considering the fact that she didn't mean much harm by it.

"stitch not angry. Stitch understands."

A wary smile appeared on Mertle's face, as she tried to avoid eye contact. Despite Stitch explaining to her that he was forgiving to her, she continued to talk about it.

"I still got this thing if someone insults me, I hurt them back. I don't want to sound like that anymore. It's a bad habit that gets me in trouble sometimes."

From what she said, it allowed him realize that his words may have harmed her a bit more than what he wanted as well. He felt to apologize to her.

"Stitch is... sorry too."

Mertle's eyes widen, then allowed her arms to fall to her side. She frowned, turning back towards him.

"it's ok. Actually, I deserve it. I was mean to you guys just because... I thought I was better than people.

I got to live with that."

Her confession and permission to say those types of insults to her hit Stitch suddenly, signing sorrowful waves of chills over his body.

Looking up at Mertle, he noticed her eyes were suddenly hollow and striped of light saying those words. Stitch didn't know how to respond to her bare visible vulnerability.

She looked into stitch's eyes feeling the now awkward tension she made then breathed a short shivering laugh.

"never mind, I'm talking stupid. But sorry anyway." she walked further ahead catching up to Lilo.

"want three tickets, please for 'Zombie Rush Night'." Lilo demanded.

The rush night was an action movie about a guy saving a city from a zombie infestation. There was little else known about the movie other than the movie had lot blood and cursing, but still was able to get a PG13 rating to get in somehow.

Lilo and especially Mertle, who's body were all around bloomed, looked over 13 so there won't be any question if they can go in or not.

"you can't bring the dog inside the building girls." The seventeen or older year-old man stated, giving both of them a glare, questioning them with a look as to wonder (what did you expect?!)

"Stitch is an alien, not a dog. He's an intelligent being, with human natures!" Lilo barked.

"Stitch is smart!" Stitch assured, proving it by speaking words to him.

"plus, the old ticket booth man let stitch in all the time," Lilo added.

The ticket man didn't waste time focusing on stitch before he turned him down again.

"look, I don't want to risk my job for a mutt or a fancy pure-breed." He started, squeezing his eyes lower to glare at Lilo.

Lilo's eye turned dark with an unspoken amount of rage to the admission man. Most people they knew didn't see Stitch as an animal or ever spoke to him as one. He didn't even care to speak to Stitch.

"if you call Stitch a 'mutt' again, I'm going to-"

Mertle bumped her leg with her leg. Lilo looked at her, then she gave Lilo a peace sign with hidden fingers. Trusting her friend to somehow handle this, she laid back, then waited for Mertle to do what she was planning.

"It can't be helped then. Lilo, tie stitch to a tree, close to the car so we can hurry into the theater before it starts." Mertle ordered her with a cold harsh tone and piercing eyes.

Stitch hasn't really gotten a chance to really get to know Mertle as she is now, but from the time he spent with her today, the way she acting now was feeling out of character for her. He figured out that this was an act.

Lilo knew already of her "acts" but still searched to see where she was going with it.

"now?" Lilo asked in a chirpy mood, hinting that she's willing to follow the plan. Lilo words also asked if Mertle had anything else to mention about the plan.

"Good that you asked. (so, you understand?) Let me think about it. Of course, now! (you got to do this quickly) Are your ears working? (listen carefully) First, look me in the eyes and don't look away, none. (I'll give you the signal to get stitch in.) I'm serious, if you're not done with stitch after I finish buying our way in, well, you'll just have to find another way in, and if you think I'm going to help you in, yea right! (we'll just think of another way for all of us to get in)" She scuffed with a hidden forming grin.

Lilo understood what they needed to do, glancing at the narrow hallway leading into the theater. There was a large chance of being caught if they simply tried to casually sneak in without Mertle. This situation would need a distraction.

"is that all you got to say?" Lilo asked with a confident look to her plan.

"yes, don't be slow. (please hurry.)" Mertle started waving her hands for Lilo and Stitch to hurry away.

The two turned away then left Mertle standing at the booth with the admission worker, disappearing behind the corner of the building.

After explaining the plan to stitch, Lilo peeked over the corner, then eyed Mertle who was staring back from the corner from her eyes. She then turned to the entrance man with an empathetic pitiful expression.

"I'm so sorry about Lilo, she's not always all there."

"it's good though. I got friends like that too." The guy laughed nervously to Mertle. "I thought she was going to jump at me just because I called her stupid talking dog a mutt."

Mertle pinched her lips together in anger to her insulting stitch like that, but she forced herself to continue the act.

"yea, I told her not to bring stitch, but she doesn't listen. She wouldn't get her feelings hurt if she did." Mertle claimed. "she wanted you to risk your job just to let him in?"

The guy grinned feeling as though a girl finally understood him, then his eyes scanned Mertle from head to chest noticing just how good she looked.

Mertle's body has aged well over the years, though abused by her mother, she grew a body as attractive as hers.

The guy's eyes admired her beauty. Her eyes were light green, brightly lit by the building's neon signs, that made them shine like gems. She lends into the counter, looking down, he could see through into her cleavage.

Her breast was size 32DD cups, a size within many men's taste. Mertle smiles up to him, her lips round, pink and small.

"you know, I don't know your name," Mertle mentioned, beginning to lean on the countertop. "I would like to know."

The guy smoothly also lends in on the countertop as well, so he could see the brim of Mertle's cleavage.

"it's Jinn, girl. What's yours?" He asked.

" Mertle." She responded, with a tilt of her head beaming into his eyes.

"What a beautiful name," he whispered, with conning eyes.

She looks down at the guy's name tag, then reaches out and cups the tag between her fingers.

"this says your name is roger. Roger was the old entrance man."

Mertle remembered this because he was around even when she was little. A stream of rather wholesome memories flooded her mind. He was always a sweet man.

"yea." He started becoming coy to her pointing out the nametag. "they still didn't get me one made. I have been here for three weeks, what gives! Right?"

"plenty of time to do something about it," Mertle exclaimed, clapping her hands together in agreeance with him. Her eyes then trailed up to his wary dirty-blonde, short-cut hairstyle "Ohh, I like your hair!"

Mertle reaches up to his hair and gently rubbed it, moving down to his cheeks.

"It feels nice," she added, smiling widen at him.

"th- thanks! I like your hair too!" He yelled happily, noticing Mertle's two puffy pum-pum ponytails protruding from the back of her head. "a lot of girls couldn't pull off glasses, but they look amazing on you."

Mertle looked down at the guy's hands. His fingers seemed as though they wanted to grab for her anytime now. She needed to wrap things up with him before he got too friendly with her.

Her hand jerks upon his head and knocks his cap off.

" oopie" she said, mustering up a genuine look of shame and surprise to what she has done.

His face was stripped of its tranced gaze, roughly pulled back to earth.

"it's ok. I'll get it."

Mertle gave a quick glance to Lilo signaling her to help stitch in as he bends down to retrieve his headwear. stitch rushes in passed the spot to be seen. Lilo walks back to the booth calm and innocently

"there. Stitch is tied up," she claimed in a casual tone.

"good," Mertle says with a grin.

The two pay for their way to go in. Before Mertle left the booth, the guy stops her.

"um... can I get your number or something. We can have a date and some fun."

She thinly smiled, waiting to say something bad to him for over two minutes now. "Sorry, I don't know who you are. Are you confused?"

The guy gave a puzzled look to her, then she walked away nearly skipping with a degree of joy.

Lilo noticed the guy who seemed like he was going to cry.

"a little too harsh, don't you think?" Lilo pointed out not finding the humor in this.

"you're too nice to people who don't deserve it. He was dogging you and stitch out. don't worry for people like him, they can't be helped." She assured, knowing Lilo's trait to feel sorry for people.

Lilo cocked her brow to Mertle's words. "but you were like him at one time too."

Suddenly, Mertle stopped walking killed of her previous joy, she stared at the floor with a look that didn't show realization, but recap and regret.

Lilo, who was responsible for her sudden drop in spirit quickly realized the consequence of her words.

"I know, I can't be helped either..."

Lilo was about to say something to her, but instead, she left Lilo standing in the hallways.

"come on Lilo, we'll miss the beginning!" Mertle mentioned, forcing hype into her voice.

Lilo frowned, then began to walk towards the inner building.

" Mardile must really hate her mom. By hating her, she hates herself as well for wanting to be like her. She dislikes anybody like her mom at the slightest." Lilo balled her fist into a knot. "when I first visited her, the way she broke down to me.

(eight months ago.)

"why would you even want to visit someone like me? Don't you hate at all?"

There were mixed feelings in Lilo's heart, who sat across the table from her, in the visiting room. Lilo opened her mouth to speak to her, but couldn't bring herself to say anything to her. She didn't expect Mertle to react to her visiting like this, asking true thoughts from her.

Lilo plan was to relieve her own worries by going to see her, failing to strike up a conversation, then leaving not accomplishing nothing, like old times. Their meeting couldn't have been more different.

"everyone I cared about has abandoned me, no one cares!" She screamed at Lilo, finding someone to give her comfort. "you're the only person I know that even bothered to come to see me..."

She fell silent, calming down for a moment to study Lilo's aura. Lilo eyes constantly tore away from her. Someone, she didn't even recognize anymore.

Knowing Mertle abuse history now, her face showed to have been the person to have gone through that hell.

Finally, Mertle began to talk again realizing that Lilo still didn't have a word to say to her.

"you know, seeing you of all people come through that door to visit me didn't seem right. I thought for sure that you came here to get me back and hurt me." Mertle glanced at Lilo face, which was turned away. "that's why I threw a cup at you, I'm so sorry."

"it's ok." Lilo mentioned, looking back up to meet her eyes. "nothing's hurt."

Mertle started to cry, then cupped her hands to her face keeping Lilo from seeing her face.

"I'm just like my damn mom! I'm going to die like her too!" Mertle assured herself feeling tears from under her lids. "how can you even talk to me after that!"

"I understand..." Lilo started a reply but paused to consider her thoughts. "that you are going through some stuff. You had to fight. I get it. Don't think about that anymore, ok."

Mertle bobbed her head into her cupped hands.

"do you want to hit me back, for everything that I had done to you? I promise I won't hit you back or tell anyone "

Lilo gaze flew into horror.

"no, Mertle! I want to help you! I'll come to visit you from time to time if that helps!"

Mertle looked up to meet Lilo's determined face that only pushed to stun her more. There wasn't a moment while Lilo said those words did Mertle even believe her. She thought of the sentence as a comforting lie, but for Lilo to even say those words. It did warm her."

"there's no saving me Lilo." She muttered to Lilo as more tears fell.

(present)

As Mertle walked away, Lilo felt her heart pulse with determination. Lilo smiles.

"I will save you." She claimed.

In the building, there were a few snacks stands, as well as three doors, one on the left and two on the right. There was also a big door straight ahead of them that was most likely the movie gallery. Two of the three doors were bathrooms and the other door was staff only.

"Should we get one big popcorn to share, separately?" Lilo asked looking at the two. Mertle gives a weird look.

"I'm... kinda low on money..." she mumbled in shame.

"stitch will pay for Mertle!" Stitch confirmed.

She shot Stitch a look.

"what? Why?"

"for helping stitch get in." He beamed at her.

"yea, that was good thinking Mertle!" Lilo added.

Mertle slowly shook her head. "No, I can't let you do that."

"stitch got in free." He claimed, shrugging his shoulders to the fact he didn't pay.

"what if Stitch and I get their biggest bucket. You can just eat with us."

Mertle's eyes looked away for consideration, but when she looked to them again, they were already at the snack stand.

Mertle cheeks became flushed from being tricked. She rolled her eyes at them as they looked back at her. They both grinned slyly at her.

"I'll... find seats for us... I guess," she stated to herself in defeat.

She passes through the door, first having to see a very decently sized screen lighting up the darkened room. The movie hasn't started yet, and the screen still showed previews for up and coming movies.

Her eyes scanned the rows of seats paying closer attention to the ones in front. There was plenty of people here already, by the time Lilo and stitch would have gotten their popcorn, most of the good rows would be taken.

Five rows back from the screen, there was some pretty good seat that would have room for all of them, Mertle quickly seized it.

"Good thing I came in, I don't see any other good spots." Mertle spoke, giving the cinema one last scan before sitting down. "now to wait."

A few minutes passed with Mertle sitting by herself. Her eyes weren't watching the previews of booming effects and loud attention-grabbing characters chipped from non-released movies to make it more appealing; she was looking up into the ceiling.

"I'm glad Stitch came with us, but I was nervous at first. I thought he would hate me forever." Mertle cheesed to herself. "He's as nice as her. Kinder to me then I deserve."

A flicker of the past came to mind, her mood suddenly darkens.

"where are they?" She looked back, feeling as though she suddenly didn't want to be alone.

As if fate wanted to punch her in the gut, coming down the alley was one of her old use to be posse, Elena.

Mertle was boss, Elena was her right-hand girl. Close back and loyal even a little more than the other girls.

Anything Mertle would ask her to do, she would endure and complete the task to her best. Elena never would complain to her, even when in her heart she didn't agree to everything Mertle did. She even made fun of Lilo and Stitch despite enjoying the time, she spent with them, always returning back to Mertle's side.

Four years later, Mertle looked palely at her as if she was a ghost appearing from nothing, and just like a ghost, Elena's presents sent ice down her spine.

"oh my gosh, Mertle?! I thought they put you away into the abandoned children's factory. What are you doing here?" Elena asked scanning up and down Mertle, to judge her condition in life.

Mertle was so unequipped by the encounter, that she only gave little movements of any expression.

"People throw clothes away down there, don't they? You poor thing they only gave you the worst ones. You use to be well dressed before, but I guess your dad has a new family to take care of now, you poor thing!"

Elena plopped down beside her, staring deeply into her eyes, with a definite polite, innocent look that burned Mertle to her core.

She used to order this girl around, but now she felt intimidated by her.

Mertle heart sunk into the seat she sat in. Her body didn't seem it wanted to move.

"You haven't said anything." Elena grinned realizing this. "I bet no one talks to you anymore. Your dad broke all ties with you and no one from his side of the family talks to you, do they? He's not even your real dad, is he?"

Like a sword that physically pierced her, she fell limped from this news.

How did she know that Harde wasn't her real dad?

The mention of another family was also something her mind started to be entangled into as well.

Did she know something she didn't?

Mertle's silence only confirmed that she was right.

Elena's twisted smile remained genuine towards her; she stepped closer to Mertle as to corner her in. "I doubt that anyone from your mom's side thought to get into contact with you. They would have to take care of you if they did. How troublesome would that be? No one cared. They cared less if you rotted away."

Mertle's chest tightened on her, it was becoming hard for her to breath.

"it's so sad that nobody wants you, are you sadden by this?" Elena asked this seeming to pity her life.

Mertle sat there forced to absorb the conversation for so long. tears streamed down her cheeks.

Suddenly, Elena nature change, from being petty to be solemn and genuinely sadden by her tears.

"Sorry, I guess though stories were true. I just wanted to make sure."

Elena brought her arms closer to her chest, then cuffed them together using her hands as a brace. Elena's attention was seemingly on the screen, but her eyes were tilted towards the confused Mertle.

"do you hate them? Your mom and I would say step-dad." not for bitter reasons, but Mertle didn't have an answer for her.

"I mean, she just killed herself in front of you, leaving you alone in this world."

Finally, Mertle's lips parted bothered. "i... do have bad memories."

"is that so? How does that make you feel?"

"I was angry with her for being so selfish."

"was? Did you forgive her?"

Mertle's brows squeezed together glaring at Elena, who was stepping a line. "you're... not how I remembered you to be Elena. What happened to you?"

Elena's giggled at her loudly, making Mertle on guard. Still, Elena smiled sweetly at her.

"When I think about 'US' back in the day, you never cared what we thought about things. How can you say you knew me?"

The annoyance that was beginning to build in Mertle tapered into mild shame.

" I... I shouldn't have treated you guys that way. I'm sorry."

Elena laughed again. "so, Grace was right. You did change a lot."

A surprised look form over Mertle's face.

"Grace? From where I live?"

"Yeah, you're not the only person who sneaks out. Sometimes I'd ask Grace to help you. She doesn't mind."

"wha-"

Mertle began to contemplate the bombshell she received but Elena steered the topic again.

"but the reason I'm here is to offer you to be a part of my group."

"what do you..."

"hearing how far you came, I wouldn't mind hanging out again with you," Elena exclaimed, with transparent feelings of happiness. "just tell me how it makes you feel when your parents abandoned you?"

Mertle minded her question, thoughtfully before answering.

"furious..."

Elena's eyes turned dark with mischiefs intentions.

"in my group, we're going to turn this world around, making it better. No one will go thro"

Mertle's face grew even more stumped to her vague claim.

" Mertle, is this our seats? oh hi, Elena..." Lilo said in a polite tone. "are you still trying to collect people for your legions of the undead? You know that Mertle is still alive, she won't fit in well." Lilo assured, giving Elena a glaring gaze.

"YAAAH!" Stitch added from behind her.

The style of insult that Lilo and Stitch mimicked was similar to the way Mertle and Elena used to do back in the day.

Mertle snapped back out of deep thought, looking towards Lilo, sharing a look a bit void of appreciation. Lilo and stitch gave a real apologetic glance to Mertle.

Mertle breathed a laugh to them.

"I didn't smell that dog come in here, but now that I see him." Elena turned around to them wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"too much perfume to smell." Stitch claimed.

Elena bent over to stitch. "I'm sorry, I can't understand anything you've said. Say it again." Elena mocked.

"Stitch said you accidentally used a skunk's tail as perfume. Oh, wait, no he didn't. My bad." Lilo scuffed raising a hand to cover her curled lips.

The three-eyed each other for a long twenty seconds before hearing the movie start behind them.

"it's been fun catching up, let's talk some other time Mertle." Elena started walking away.

A few steps were as far as she could get before being stopped by Lilo.

"Why not stay a bit longer. There's a seat next to stitch and me. I would love to know about the new undead you collected."

Elena gave a blank look to Lilo.

"I'm suddenly not feeling up to watching a movie. I'm hungry." Elena walked away. "enjoy the stupid movie."

Lilo waved her off. "we still will."

Lilo's and stitch's eyes drifted to Mertle.

"are you ok?" Lilo asked.

"yea," Mertle responded wiping her tears. "I can't believe she got me like that. When did she turn into a person like that?" She wondered.

"she's been becoming a problem lately," Lilo mentioned.

"stitch seen her do bad things.", Stitch frowned.

"what?" Mertle asked cocking an eyebrow. "what does she do?"

Lilo walked to a seat beside Mertle, then sat down focusing on the screen. Stitch followed behind her.

"We can talk about her after the movie. I didn't come here just to think about her." Lilo complained handing Mertle the popcorn. Stitch, with his four arms, handed Mertle a drink.

"Thanks..." she sipped on it then took a second look at the drink. "you guys bought me a drink? You shouldn't have... "

"too late, you already put your mouth on it." Lilo giggled, breaking out of her sour mood.

"I was... distracted by what happened." She confessed.

"well, I don't want it now." Lilo gave a teasing look.

Instead of carrying an already defeated debate, Mertle continued to sip her drink.

After all of the opening to the movie was over, the movie opened up to a scene late at night, in a silent empty forest and faint sounds of crickets chirping, frogs humming and howling that could be heard in the far distance.

Natives came into view, circling a fire, speaking vaguely in another language about odd things happening on their land.

Disappearance, screaming, and half-eaten animals. Of course, everyone watching the movie knew from the title that it was maybe zombies, but the natives blamed it on a mischievous god that loves food.

About five minutes later, they found out what was causing the disappearances, but learning of it cost them their life. They were the sacrificial characters that the movie kills off to show the audience the risk.

Most of the people in the cinema gasped to their deaths, Lilo, Stitch and Mertle knew it was coming a mile away, but just didn't know when, so they weren't too affected by the jump scare.

An hour later into the movie and a beloved character was wounded beyond help, fading into an eternal slumber to be with his wife that died much earlier on in the movie. The theater was dead silent, finding the movie to be well worth their focus.

"that's is so sad!" Lilo and Stitch mourned, gripping tighter to one another.

"he's- he's going to go be with his wife..." Mertle commented to Lilo.

Looking over, Mertle noticed the two of them hugging each other.

"they're really close, literally," Mertle concluded with a curious glance, then look back at the movie.

When something bad happened, the crowd cringed and yelped in unison.

About twenty minutes later, the climax was still going with less bloodshed because the remaining characters had now started to carefully think their actions.

"you guys, Hansel's not going to make it now! Mike not going to find him in time!" Mertle squealed looking over to the two again.

They were holding hands. Not only that but pulling the other's hand towards them as if playing a game of tug of war, jerking themselves out of their seat.

The two giggled and gave each other playful intimidating eyes as they started to war over the armrest between them. They were... they were causing quite the scene.

(Fifteen minutes later...)

"we're sorry!"

"we sorry!"

Both Lilo and Stitch begged for forgiveness from Mertle, who at the moment, didn't wait to hear it. Leading the way out of the movie theater in a storm of rage.

" noooope, not listening." She spoke, ignoring their plead.

"Stitch and I am sorry. We didn't mean to get kicked out of the theater. If you want, you can just leave us out here and you can just watch the rest." Lilo suggested.

"yea!" Stitch added.

Mertle herself wasn't thrown out of the cinema, but since her friends wouldn't be there, she couldn't enjoy the last bit of the movie.

"I'm glad you two were enjoying yourself." Mertle cheered sarcastically. "I couldn't just stay there by myself. Even if I watched the rest without you, I'd still be mad." She confirmed.

"c'mon Mertle, how many times do we need to say sorry?!" Lilo asked.

Mertle actually stopped walking to ponder that question. Though she wasn't even really mad at them, a side of her wanted to tease them a bit more for all of her troubles.

She spun around, with an impish smile.

"now that is a good question." She declared laying a finger to her chin, then waltzing back and forth. "if you two are really sorry, then beg for your life!"

The two of them gave Mertle a long blink stare, then lend over to each other to whisper things about her. They ironically said their opinions out loud to allow Mertle to hear them.

"there was a little of the other Mertle left after all." Lilo mocked.

"stitch was liking new Mertle." Stitch added with the same tone.

"She was so kind since I saw her, now she shows what she really is."

Hearing a mountain of compliments as well as insults from the two, made her have mixed feelings about what to do to them next.

"you guys are good friends to me, so why do I want to punch you both?" She asked in a creepy tone and smile, raising her hands together to crack her knuckles.

"stitch. run!" Lilo warned grinning at Mertle.

"oh no, help!" Stitch called, following behind Lilo.

"you two think you can escape me? Think again!" Mardile exclaimed as she gave chase.

Lilo followed stitch to the car, then they hopped in and locked it on both sides. The two pressed their faces on the window to taunt the approaching Mertle. Her eyes darted between two, then she crawled at Stitch.

"oh no, she wants our brains, Stitch!"

"no, zombie!" Stitch squealed.

Mertle heard their cries, fell into pace with it.

"I will eat your delicious brains!" She claims, crawling at the car more viscous than before.

"zombie wants a candy bar instead?" Stitch asked holding up a bar to the window that was in the car since this morning when driving Lilo back from hula.

"that... might work for me!" Mertle settled, seemingly reverting back to her normal self.

Stitch opens the door, then handed Mertle the candy bar. To no one's surprise, Mertle grabbed Stitch's hand and dragged him out of the car. Of course, Stitch could have easily pulled back from Mertle with super-strength, but he knew there'd be no fun in overpowering her.

Mertle pulled him in, then picked him up. Instead of screaming, Stitch started laughing at how he was easily treated.

Mertle pulled stitch's head closer to her mouth.

Seeing her practically cuddling up to stitch like that gave Lilo a slight jolt of pain, she shook the feeling away though to engage in the fun.

"oh no, stitch!" Lilo screamed as she cracked open her door to save him.

"Stitch done for Lilo." Stitch yelled, looking into her eyes.

"I won't let you die Stitch!" Lilo assured, running to save him before it was too late.

She knew stitch's body wouldn't be hurt no matter what she did to him, taking advantage of that fact, she tackled him just before Mertle could take the first bite.

The landing was rough, tumbling a few times before stopping.

"Thanks, Lilo, for saving stitch," Stitch said, pretending to be weak on the ground.

Despite the fact that Lilo had landed on stitch, softening the impact on her, she still struggled to rebound from the crash landing.

Finally, able to peel herself off the ground, Lilo cupped stitch into her arms gently, gazing deeply into his darkened eyes. He gazed back, feeling his vision narrowing onto her. The details of her warm beauty hypnotized him, causing him to subconsciously ogle.

Her dark brown eyes held all of what he loved in her.

Lilo held his muscular body securely in her arms, gripping tighter and tighter to her chest. her mind almost fought against doing so but broke from desire. She could almost fool herself into believing that stitch saw her the same way, but she shook the thought away.

Being good friends would have to be enough for her. The way they connected now, that would have to be enough.

She claimed in her heart even though we hug for different reasons, it'll still work out if I don't take it too far. Lilo's heart fell from that thought, but that all this will ever be.

Lilo figured that he had to be acting from the game they were playing. She continued to play her part, watering down her words with overly exaggerated lines.

"do you know how important you are to me, my dear friend? You hold a piece of me and if you die, I'll die with you."

Stitch's heart fluttered in his chest, and he laid there speechless to Lilo's words.

"so stitch is your dying boyfriend?" Mertle plainly asked.

Both of them became alarmed by what Mertle said.

"no-no, I didn't mean it like that," Lilo assured, holding in a sudden desperate feeling to distance herself from the conversation. "I said, dearest friend."

She twisted her face a bit surprised at Lilo's panic.

"like what?" Mertle asked.

"like what?" Lilo repeated slowly, reassessing what She meant.

"I know we're just playing. That what this was, a game." Mertle stated, raising her voice, then growing a suspicious look. Mardile's edgy mood tapered to a blank stare then turned sheepish, she looked away from her with a sudden overwhelming conclusion. "wow, you do, don't you..."

Lilo parted her lips attempting to fight the claim, but since the secret was out, she felt no need to hide it anymore. She always wanted Mertle to know anyway.

Lilo started to ball up on the floor, burying her head into her knee.

"I'm sorry stitch. I got carried away," she said apologetically without looking stitch in the eyes. Stitch gripped his chest, then glanced at Mertle who was choosing to follow her curiosity of the two.

"so... are you two dating?"

Neither of them responded to her nor did they look at each other.

"I'm guessing that's a no then," She stated in a solemn voice. She turned her body to stitch. "Stitch, do you like Lilo?"

Suddenly Lilo stood up from the ground, but still hung her head.

"Please don't ask him that. It doesn't matter. At the moment, we're friends. That's all." Lilo picked her focus from the ground then glanced at Stitch. "please let us still be that."

"y-yeah." Stitch gave an answer to Lilo.

Mertle walked up to Lilo to give her a hug.

"we'll always be your friend Lilo, no matter what." she eyed Stitch from behind Lilo, who was seeming oddly quiet at the moment.

"I know a guy in the orphanage that you may like. He's a sweet guy."

As if to purposely poke at Stitch's wound she said things that forced him to visibly shook and worried.

"you wanna bring that up now?" Lilo protested.

"why not. I've already told him about you and he's really interested." Stitch's body stiffens to bear the building emotions bellowing in him.

"can we not have this conversation now?" Lilo asked.

"well, I just thought I'd bring him up. I can just interduce you to him the next time you visit me. We'll have a lot of fun."

Mertle moved her lips in a way to spell out a message to Stitch.

(don't worry, I'm not.)

He, at that moment, realized that he had been caught by her. cocking his eyebrow at Mertle.

Lilo pulled away from her, looking annoyed.

"Please don't do that." Lilo demanded

"ok" she stated plainly

"crap! I left my phone in the theater!" Mertle reached into her pocket to silence her phone. "I don't even remember what row we were on."

Lilo now gave her a sincere puzzled look.

"you forgot that quickly?"

"yea, I forgot after you two got kicked out." Mertle used that fact to control the conversation. Her heart skipped a beat because she now needed to lie again.

"We can help you look for it if you want."

A second after saying those words, Lilo realized that there was a problem with the two of them helping.

"wait, even if we mention to them that we lost a phone inside the building, they might not even believe us because we were thrown out." Lilo breathed, showing a petty look. "if a person was thrown out, that would be the time to be wary of people ACTUALLY leaving something behind."

Mertle faced away from her to admire the building across the street. "yeah, they won't let you two back in."

"Maybe if we tell them that as well, they would believe us then?"

Mertle shook her head, disagreeing with her.

"there's no guarantee that they would listen." Mertle pretended to think. "I think I should just go inside by myself, or I could bring stitch with me."

Stitch ears perked up, realizing something strange about her plan.

"stitch would climb the ceiling and stay out of sight." Mardile looked towards stitch to finish her thoughts. "can I use your ears to listen for the phone?"

stitch stood puzzled and a bit distant to her words. It made sense for Mardile to ask for stitch's help. he nodded his head agreeing to the plan.

"well, I guess I can stay behind and call," Lilo stated, as she pulled out her phone.

Mertle bent down and grabbed some concrete pebbles off of the ground.

"just in case, carry these rocks with you. It's to get my attention from the ceiling easily."

She drops the pebbles into Stitch's hand.

" ...ih" stitch responded to her with great hesitation.

"ok, let's go stitch." Mertle announced walking back toward the building. Lilo waved goodbye to Stitch as he left.

His reaction was noticeably delayed, seemingly thinking about how he should act towards her. Eventually, he did wave back with a look of discomfort weighing on him.

"bye." He stated, then turned away.

"Don't get caught," Lilo warned as she stood there, watching them disappear around the corner, out of the parking lot.

Lilo smile faded, then fell grim. this was how she truly felt. Stitch seemed too bothered by her to feel comfortable around her now. To her it doesn't seem like things will go back to how they use to be.

"I really can't shut up, can I? Of course, I was flirting at him even then. I'm not being serious enough about what I promise." Lilo lowered her head. "I wonder if they think I'm gross?

Her face twisted in pain to her shame, and how she set herself up for failure. Her feet started to pace the ground first with little steps, then they grew into larger strives.

"I want to get over him. I've tried for three years to do that but my feelings only got worst! It's really starting to be hard not to flirt with him."

Lilo brushed her fingers through her hair and grind her teeth together in frustration.

"nothing's going right, and it's my fault! I should just date my mine own species. Why am I so weird?" she stopped pacing the ground, then looked up into the sky. The moonlight washed over her, a few stars were visible despite the light pollution. "why am I talking like a moron now?"

She took a moment the relax, then she looked at her cellphone.

"I should just focus on calling Mertle's phone." Lilo decided, punching in the numbers into the keypad. The phone rung, she silently stood there listening to the rings.

(in the theater)

"thank you for letting me inside," Mertle stated, stepping through the door of the cinema.

"no prob." The entrance guy chuckled. "when you find your phone maybe I can give you my number."

"...s-sure?" Mertle answered with great hesitation.

Unlucky but luck for her, the man in front of her didn't get the hints she gave to him. He continued to smile, even though she was showing an obvious discomforting look.

"or maybe after I get off work, we can just... hang out." He gave a little shrug of his shoulders.

Mertle cocked an eyebrow to him.

"and do what?" She asked sensing something undesirable.

"well, if you want to know, stick around."

"What time do you get off?" She asked nonchalantly.

"I know you'd come around. You like playing hard to get, don't you?"

"only confused people with a low self-image would play that game." She started again with a nonchalant look, now sick of hearing herself acting cunningly. she abandoned the rouge of being into him. Even for him, she was starting to feel guilty and disgusted.

"honestly, I like someone else. Sorry about making you think that I was into you earlier today." She felt that needed to apologize as well to him, after realizing that she was mad at him for making fun of her friends from earlier and let this go too far.

"Does he have a car? I got a car, and this job pays better than it looks. I'm not a loser or something."

"I never called you a loser. I just can't and wouldn't date you." Mertle recapped.

The guy took a bit of defense to her statement even though Mertle meant it as just a fact. She had a bit of pity for the guy's noticeable self-esteem issues. It reminded her of herself. It also reminded her of her mom who flirted with any man with money, forsaking the idea of ever finding a person she could care for.

"is it because of my age? Age is just a number, ya know."

Mertle was fourteen years old, the man in front of her seemed to be in his late teens.

"you know, you got the body of a grown woman. Why not a grown man?"

Mertle lowered her eyes.

"age IS just a number, but I'm too old for you." The man twisted his face in confusion. "secondly, for your reason to date, please don't date someone my age. Pick up older women with that mind frame."

"don't you mean too young for you?" He suggested.

Mertle didn't respond but pretended to continue looking for her phone.

"that's a no on meeting after work?"

Mertle continued to stay silent.

Finally, the man got the hint, then walked away.

"hurry up and get out." He stated coldly before disappearing behind the back entrance.

After confirming that the guy was really gone, Mertle looked up to stitch.

She met eyes with him, then breathed out a tensed sigh.

"Stitch, I lied to you. I have my phone in my pocket."

An expression of shock and confusion came over him. So much so, that he struggled not to fall off the ceiling from the sudden news.

He crawled off the roof, when he got to Mertle Stitch shot her a strange look.

"why come back?" He asked.

She paced herself to answer that question by closing her eyes to will herself to be straight-forward with her wording.

"you like Lilo, right?"

Stitch heart sunk to that question.

Was she really going to ask that now?

Suddenly, he realized that her intentions were for them being here, alone.

"stitch wants to go, Mertle." Stitch demanded slightly raising his voice.

"Stitch, I'm so sorry for making you hurt like that."

For stitch to forgive her wasn't as hard as he imagined, but he still was planning to leave, beginning to make his way out the cinema.

"Please, I want to help." She begged, putting her hands up to stop him from leaving. "you see how she was out there. I want to help with Lilo. She's my friend."

Mertle firmly stood in his way, Stitch wasn't stubborn enough to fight his way past her, so he caved in. He spotted the nearest seat to him, then sat in it.

"Please, don't tell Lilo this." He begged.

she sat down beside him in the next seat.

"of course, I won't, this is why I made the conversation to be private." She assured with a smile.

Stitch stared at Mertle for a moment.

"Stitch loves her." his stare lingered with Mertle. This time she remained un-phased to the information, looking at him as though nothing was wrong with their situation.

"don't worry. I'm with you guys, forever on this." She thought about his point of view of her, then lowered her eyes in shame. "honest, I'm not who I use to be anymore. I mean not... completely... I'm trying to change." She nit her words in mid-sentence, feeling wary if she even changed.

"Stitch can tell completely." He confirmed with a growing smile. "you're cool."

Stitch slowly kicked his feet around, turning his attention to the screen that showed one preview after another.

"you realized that she does love you too. Why not tell her your feelings?"

He speculated that she would ask that question but having to answer it was draining. "complicated... very."

Reason one, they were different people. Most would consider stitch to be an animal. His closer aquatints would see him as an intelligent being, but he would assume that he would be cuter dating his own species. Not dating a human girl. Not Lilo.

They would reflect the cons of their relationship and want to end it. Lilo would have her family against her.

Reason two, the relationship couldn't be seen in public. Even hints to them dating would be bad for Lilo. most of the weight of the relationship would fall on Nani who allowed this to happen.

People would want answers to why a dog was dating a girl, of course, they would question the parents.

Again, Stitch would be the reason why Nani and Lilo we're separated.

Lastly, reason three, his sex drive.

That day he saw Lilo naked, bad thoughts came to mind that made him wary of being around her. He had to move out. What if he suddenly wanted to do horrible things to her?

After hearing such a story from Stitch, her worry in general grew. She sat there facing Stitch lost for words to say to him.

Feeling a shock of guilt telling such a terrifying thing to Mertle, stitch started to ramble.

"Stitch won't let it come to this. People won't suffer for stitch this way." A bit of desperation glimmered in his eyes. He balled his fist into each other. "Not for this. Not Lilo. Stitch will solve this."

Mertle eyes turned a bit annoyed to stitch's words.

"and how are you planning to do that?" She asked with an attitude towards stitch.

Troubled by her tone, Stitch wasn't sure how he would assure her, he planned to a moment ago.

"I huh I will..." stitch planned to lie to Mertle so she wouldn't worry, but he could her glare stopped him. "do anything, even if I die."

"you worded the thought of death like it was an opinion for you." Her tone, which was beginning to thunder at the last minute settled, turning into a calmer tone. Mertle reminded herself that she couldn't help him with anger, that's what her therapist said to her.

Without her therapist, Mertle doubted that she would have allowed Lilo into her life. Without Lilo, she wouldn't have grown over the past eight months she known her.

Now stitch was a new friend she gained, she had an obligation to set his mind right as a friend to him, also for Lilo, who doesn't know Stitch was struggling with this. She breathed.

"I don't want you to do anything to yourself you'd regret. Please, consider her feelings... if she lost you, that would destroy her. I'm not sure if I'd be able to get her back to who she is now."

Mertle grabbed stitch's shoulder, then pulls him closer towards her, giving him a hug.

"you're now important to me, so please, don't go dying." Mertle asked.

A moment of silence intruded their space. As Convinced as he was a moment ago to what was the best decision was, he wasn't too sure anymore. He becomes too far gone to be considered a friend to anyone, what should be done. "Lilo... everyone, and you. Are worth my life, but stitch will choose another way."

Mertle felt very touched hearing he felt about him. Their first day of them truly hanging out with each other and now stitch thought of Mertle as a friend.

"wow Stitch. I was wondering would you consider me a friend after what I did to you a few minutes ago. Do you really want me as a friend to you?"

Stitch parted his lips in a large grin.

"you're a cool person despite that."

"I thought I was cool, but being an orphan isn't what I would call a cool person."

" Mertle's past can't be helped. What it is, is. You're good now."

"I worry that I might not have changed as a person that much. It's just now I hate people who remind me of... my mom." She bowed her head to her issue of seeing herself as a mirror image. "I act just like her. I'm trying to get better, but..."

The lingering anxiety touched stitch's heart, noting that her true layers became visible to him.

"I still hate myself... a lot..." she admitted, then fell silent.

"stitch see why... Lilo like Mertle."

She glare, that was still hovering over the floor, glancing into Stitch's direction then back down.

"because I'm pathetic but tolerable." Mertle laughed under her breath.

"Stitch though that at first, but not now." He grew a confident grin. "you are sad but the heart is shiny. Though Stitch does not see bad, bad can still be there. Everyone has bad... Stitch was very bad before. Anyone can change."

Hypnotized by those words, she stares through stitch like looking into a glass window as she considered his words. She sighed.

"I don't believe all people can turn good... that would include a monster like my mom. I can't be- "

"Just be patient." He claimed as he turned around to leave out of the theater. " Mertle needs more proof. Stitch will help you see one day."

She laughs at his claim, grinning teasingly at him.

"you can't die, and show me." Mertle barked, feeling that stitch is leaving the conversation too early.

"I will... think of another way... promise."

She followed him out of the theater.

The phone that was put on silent for a while, was finally answered.

"he-hello?" Mertle answered with guilt resonating from her voice.

Lilo didn't answer right away, letting three seconds pass by before replying.

"you found your phone? Good.", Lilo finally answered.

She bit her lips but decided to be honest with her then to keep it to herself.

"I never lost my phone Lilo. There was something important that I wanted to talk to Stitch about you." Mertle confessed awkwardly, guessing some complaints she would get from Lilo, who she went behind the back of.

Stitch tilted his ears to hear the conversation easily as both spoke. He started to feel unease about the possibility that Mertle may say too much.

He turned his head to her, showing some level of nervousness.

Lilo fell silent on the phone for a little longer than before.

"don't bother him about my feelings; we agreed to just stay friends..."

Mertle glared at Stitch, feeling the urge to right the wrong that he did to poor Lilo, but he did have a good reason in doing so, so she retrained herself.

Stitch wrinkled his eyebrows to her.

Mertle couldn't possibly keep her promise to stitch with the conditions that were happening to him. Still, she reluctantly answered back with a playing dumb answer.

"Have you ever asked him if that want, he wanted or did you just assume this?"

The other end of the line grew silent to the question asked. Stitch's ears perked up, then he ran closer behind Mertle. She gave Stitch an apologetic glance before continuing the conversation.

"don't you want to know what he thinks, really? " Mertle asked her softly.

"you promised! "Stitch yelled in a whisper.

"what are you getting at, girl?"

Mertle gave a long look at Stitch, then responded.

"he'll tell you when he's ready." She sighed.

Stitch danced in a panicked, grabbing his ears and pulling them to his side. She walked past him, then patted his head to comfort him, but continued to look forward. Stitch continued to trail behind her with his head down.

"What! What do you mean?"

"he has something to tell you."

"like what?!"

"be patient."

"you're scaring me Mertle. What did you two talk about?" Lilo yells in a low voice.

"both of you are panicking now? Just relax." After, telling Lilo that, she hung up the phone.

"I was able to make things easier tonight as I hoped..."

" Mertle ratted stitch out?!" Stitch exclaimed confronting before she could leave the door."

Mertle frowned at stitch feeling a bit of guilt, but overall she felt this was a better way.

"I never told her that you liked her, or did I mention the issue you were going through, but still I'm sorry."

"Stitch can't..." he mumbled, swarming around the lobby. "Lilo would do something extreme."

"you're doing something extreme yourself. You know Lilo would blame herself if you died. I would too."

"Stitch... is sorry, but I can't let everyone be at risk for Stitch."

Mertle bent down to show how serious she was. "I will tell her everything next week if she asks."

Stitch froze in his steps. She raised up, then pulled out her phone again. She walked out the door and didn't look back at him.

"Mertle is right..." Stitch claimed, balling his fist.

Mertle scrolled through her phone, pretending to be interested in her apps and messages. She hummed softly to herself as she continued on to the parking lot.

The humming didn't last, feeling herself drift back into her thoughts.

"Stitch and I was just starting to get close... I hope he can forgive me... again." She grabbed her hair then began to twist it on her fingers. "I could have handled that better... maybe... I don't know. I hope Stitch can tell her soon. I think I would just make more bad blood with Stitch if I told her now before he could. This place I'm in is such a headache."

She could hear footsteps catching up to her from behind, her nerves to worsen, feeling as though he might have something to tell her. she wrinkled her brow, then directed her attention to the distant of Lilo, who seemed to have not noticed them leaving the building. It was clear that she was thinking of something.

Mertle promised not to speak a word, but this would be a trialing week for her to staying quiet for so long about this. She will ask. Mertle focused back on her phone to distracted herself again, she considered may be playing a game and ignoring what going was to happen next.

To confess and to deny her afterward would make their predicament reach new levels of discomfort. Telling her that he still won't be able to be with her because he was at risk of losing himself, will be the soon-to-be hardest part.

Lilo is now expecting something to be explained, and knowing her she will hunt stitch for this secret he's hiding.

Would it be good to tell her as soon as possible before things get out of hand in the future?

Both walked silently and slowly to her, only to prolong what will happen. Seeing the tension in Stitch's eyes the whole way here, she lowered the phone again.

"it's not that I'm not trying to relate to you about this but... this is too much to hide."

Stitch's ears again perked up to her words. He turned her in.

"Stitch realizes that Stitch is being... selfish..." Stitch claimed, tilting his head towards her.

The whole day it ate away at him.

"I wouldn't say mainly selfish or selfless, but it kinda both."

Stitch shrugged his shoulders. "yeah, but stitch is sick of this."

Lilo finally turned back to the theater, noticing the two of them coming back. Recapping on the fact that Mertle dragged Stitch away to talk to him in private still was on her mind.

She had some time to herself to appreciate that Mertle wasn't harshly judging her for liking Stitch, so she didn't feel too bad at the moment.

Seeing Stitch made her cheeks burn, though she was very much confused about what was going on. Stitch's eye contact broke away only a few times, as he approached Lilo.

She recognized that he looked more confident to see her again. She wondered if that had something to do with what they talked about. Maybe she helped repair their distancing. Maybe Stitch was ready to be friends like they were.

Her eyes trailed to Mertle for a hint for what to expect, however, she was texting on her phone again, seemingly distracted.

This was an odd sight to Lilo because she normally doesn't ever see her texting anyone else but her.

She assumed that Mertle was doing this on purpose.

Lilo puffed her cheeks out, frowning at her. Mertle peeked past her phone to see the look. She sighed then quickly looked back down.

Finding no valuable hint in her friend, her eyes again glanced back to study Stitch's fixed gaze on her.

Lilo parted her lips to ask Stitch what he was thinking, but Stitch beat her to that.

"so" he started "Stitch is sorry for not being honest with Lilo."

Lilo tilted her head in surprise, showing wide eyes to what he was hinting at. She smiled.

"so, you mean?!"

"Stitch... deeply loves Lilo..." He confessed forcing out his words.

"YES, YES YES!" Lilo cheers, bends down slightly, picking him up and hugging stitch to his surprise. "I love you too, so much!"

Mertle threw her phone down to her side. "I wasn't expecting you to tell her now."

Lilo placed stitch down on the ground. "finally,..." she whispered to herself, then eyed Stitch. "why didn't you say this sooner?"

"Stitch can't say yet." Stitch mentioned, shifting his focus away from Lilo for a moment. "when we get home."

Lilo stared blankly at Stitch before dragging her attention to the girl who pretended to be distracted most of the time.

"it's getting late. I think I should go home," Mertle stated, for other reasons.

"oh yeah, sorry being downers most today, thanks for everything!" Lilo smiled warmly.

"oh? I'm just glad to help." she assured feeling still restless to the information Lilo doesn't know at the moment. "if you ever still need anyone to talk to, I'm all ears."

"same." Lilo added.

A thought did come back her as she remembered Elena, a cold chill came over her, as she felt her cheeks turned red.

"Actually, I do have a problem that I want help on." she looked both of them sternly in the face. "can we talk about Elena?"


End file.
